January 20, 2025 – South Korea’s upcoming role as the host of APEC 2025 will align with Malaysia’s ASEAN chairmanship, presenting a unique opportunity for both nations to strengthen bilateral relations and foster greater regional integration.
According to South Korea’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Chung Byung Won, the alignment of these leadership roles offers a platform to address common challenges while deepening cooperation across the Asia-Pacific region.
South Korea’s Vision
With the theme “Building A Sustainable Tomorrow,” South Korea’s APEC chairmanship will focus on developing a resilient, adaptable, and harmonious Asia-Pacific community by 2040. Chung emphasized the two countries could reach this vision through collaborative efforts.
The Key Priorities
In an exclusive interview with Bernama, Chung outlined several key priorities that both South Korea and Malaysia will focus on during their leadership roles:
- Enhancing Trade and Investment: Strengthening economic ties between nations to boost regional trade and encouraging investment opportunities.
- Embracing Innovation and Digitalisation: Stimulate technological advancements to drive sustainable growth across the region.
- Addressing Global Challenges: Working collaboratively on pressing global issues, such as climate change, security, and economic recovery.
Moreover, Chung underscored the significance of inclusivity in these efforts, with particular attention given to empowering vulnerable groups such as women, people with disabilities, and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
APEC 2025 Summit
The APEC 2025 Summit is set to take place in November at the Hwabaek International Convention Centre in Gyeongju, South Korea. This will mark South Korea’s second time hosting the summit, after previously doing so in 2005.
Through this strategic alignment, both nations are set to play an essential role in shaping a sustainable and prosperous future for the Asia-Pacific region.
Malaysia For APEC
Malaysia has been an active member of APEC since its establishment on November 6, 1989, and has hosted two summits, in 2020 and 1998.
